Congratulations to food critic, John Gilchrist, and producer/director, Wendy Hill-Tout, on ‘Cuisine of the Rockies’, an eight-part series of half-hour documentaries celebrating the food of the Rocky Mountains from Jasper to Montana, including Canmore, Banff, and Lake Louise, and the notable chefs and restaurants that create this worldclass cuisine. Now streaming on tubitv.com/series/300011423

More congrats to The Common in Edmonton who are celebrating 15 years! This lounge-style space has something for everyone - on the food menu, with totally snackable nibbles, bowls, handhelds, and mains, washed down with craft, local and imported beers, cocktails, and wines - and weekly open mic nights and local DJs to get you up on that dance floor! 9910 109 Street NW, Tuesday to Saturday, thecommon.ca

And congrats to The Dandy Brewing Company on their 10th Anniversary of producing the first batch of Dandy beer. We remember those early days well, and kudos to Dandy that their beers are in Japan and Australia, and at least six provinces now! Dandy has a new head chef too! Ryan Baker (latterly of Clos de la Oyster Barre and Teatro Group) is in the kitchen and expanding the DandyPizza concept. thedandybrewingcompany.com

And lastly, congratulations to Alberta restaurants: Bar Gigi in Calgary; and Edmonton’s Bar Henry, Bernadette’s, and Little Wolf – all who’ve made it to Air Canada’s Best New Restaurants 2024 Longlist of 30 restaurants across 18 cities, that opened between late spring

2023 and May 31 this year. The awards celebrate quality of food, level of service, and commitment to culinary creativity, and the Top 10 will be announced early November. Good luck all!

There are rave reviews for the new MSSM (Masaki Saito Sushi Master), who, as well as his two Toronto locations, has opened in the ex-Cacao 70 space in the Edmonton Tower. Under the guidance of 2-star Michelin Chef Masaki Saito, his apprentice chefs execute a high quality, 90-minute, 14-course, edomaestyle omakase experience for under $100 – but the restaurant only seats 20! 10111 104 Avenue, mssmedmonton.ca

Lina’s has a new restaurant –Lina’s Trattoria, on Centre Street in Calgary, next to the original market. They say ‘Italian chefs using Italian ingredients’, and it couldn’t be more true, with Culinary Director Giusepe Di Gennaro and Chef Angelo Contrada heading up the team, using Lina’s ingredients. They’re flying in burrata every week, as well as non-GMO bread with a starter from 1963! It’s a familyfriendly location and affordable menu of simple, (and simply delicious!) seasonal dishes – some to share and some you won’t want to share... The stone deck pizza oven delivers an authentic crispy crust, and there’s snacks and salads, pasta, seafood and mains too. Monday-Tuesday closed for cooking classes and events. eat.linasmarket.com

While we’re talking Italian, Daniel Costa has a new concept – Va! In Edmonton’s Citizen on Jasper, at 12024 Jasper Avenue, they’re serving up coffee and pizza, and it’s already a destination.

But there’s more – plenty more, and you’ll want it! They’ve taken inspiration from the Roman Forno, and on the morning menu (7:30-11 am) there’s all sorts of deliciousness (mine’s the cacio e pepe egg panino with baby kale!) and then the day menu has a lovely choice of focaccia panini, pizza, and salads, until closing at 4 pm. In collaboration with Ace Coffee Roasters, Va has exclusive espresso and drip coffee blends, which you can also purchase to brew at home in the market, where they have Italian pantry essentials (and vinyl!) and more. Closed Mondays, va-yeg.ca

We’re very impressed with SOT (‘pot’ in Korean), Calgary’s newest Korean restaurant upstairs at 1216 9 Avenue SE in Inglewood. Chef/owner Alex Sang-Ho Kwon has cooked his way around Calgary and Ottawa, at Model Milk and Oliver & Bonacini, and at Orchard where SOT chef Nak Hwan Kim cooked alongside. The cuisine is elevated and creative, based on Korean dishes and prepared in a modern way, resulting in dishes that are contemporary and chef-driven, yet still casual. They have a butchery in house, and make absolutely everything themselves including their gochujang, pickles, and banchan dishes, and use very fresh ingredients sourced from local producers. There’s almost no dairy on this seasonally changing menu, and you’ll not want to miss the CAB braised short rib and beef bulgogi, Rougie duck breast, and their signature SOT Rice (allow 20 minutes) –try it with perilla leaves. There are terrific starters and desserts too! Lunch and dinner, closed Mondays. sotyyc.com

We don’t have enough Persian restaurants in Alberta yet, but lucky Edmonton has a new one – the familyowned Caspian Kebabs at Strathcona Junction. Their signs advertise the more well-known shawarma and kebabs, but it’s the Persian menu that will have you coming back from more. Tender and juicy lamb, beef, chicken, or a mix of them, are accompanied by saffron rice – the plates are generous, so save plenty of room for them. And they’re served with welcoming and exemplary service. 10380 78 Avenue NW, lunch and dinner seven days. caspiankebabs.com